Automatic telephone answering and recording device with automatic two-way conversation recording function controlled by off/on hook detector

Claim 2

An automatic telephone answering and recording device associated with a telephone set comprising: (a) first circuit means for detecting one of an interruption or an abrupt reduction of a current after an on-hook condition for the set; (b) second circuit means for detecting an off-hook condition of the telephone set; (c) means for delivering an answering message recorded on an answering tape to the calling party; (d) means for recording a message from the calling party on a recording tape after the answering meassage has been delivered; (e) third circuit means for disabling an automatic answering mode in response to the detection by said second circuit means of the off-hook condition of the telephone set to establish a 2-way recording mode while said answering tape of said recording tape is still in operation; (f) means for automatically disabling said third circuit means to stop the recording operation in response to the detection by said first circuit means of the on-hook condition while the conversation is being recorded, and for automatically establishing a standby condition for automatically answering a next call; and, (g) means for indexing said answering tape means when said off-hook state is effected during the operation of said answering tape means.

Claim 3

An automatic telephone answering and recording device according to claim 1, wherein said second circuit means delivers, at intervals of a selected number of seconds, a signal indicative of recording of the conversation between the parties on the recording tape to the calling party.

Claim 4

An automatic telephone answering and recording device according to claim 1, wherein said second circuit means automatically deenergizes a loudspeaker device associated with the automatic answering mode when the telephone of the calling party is in the off-hook condition.

Claim 5

An automatic answering and recording device for use with telephone transmission lines and the telephone set, having an off-hook and an on-hook state, comprising: (a) transmission line terminals, adapted for connection with the transmission lines; (b) calling signal detection means for detecting a calling signal at the transmission lines; (c) answering tape means, responsive to said signal detection means and operatively connected to the transmission lines for delivering an answering message when a calling signal is detected and for providing an automatic answering mode; (d) recording tape means operatively connected to said transmission lines after the answering message has been delivered; (e) off-hook detection means, operatively connected to the telephone set, for detecting the off-hook state of the telephone set; (f) automatic answering disabling means, operatively connected to said answering tape means and responsive to said off-hook detection means for disabling the automatic answering mode; and, (g) two-way recording means, responsive to said off-hook detection means for automatically establishing a two-way recording mode while the answering tape or the recording tape is in operation.

Claim 6

An automatic answering and recording device for use with telephone transmission lines and the telephone set, having an off-hook and an on-hook state, comprising: (a) transmission line terminals, adapted for connection with the transmission lines; (b) calling signal detection means for detecting a calling signal at the transmission lines; (c) answering tape means, responsive to said signal detection means and operatively connected to the transmission lines for delivering an answering message when a calling signal is detected and for providing an automatic answering mode; (d) recording tape means operatively connected to said transmission lines after the answering message has been delivered; (e) off-hook detection means, operatively connected to the telephone set, for detecting the off-hook state of the telephone set; (f) automatic answering disabling means, operatively connected to said answering tape means and responsive to said off-hook detection means for disabling the automatic answering mode; and, (g) two-way recording means, responsive to said off-hook detection means for automatically establishing a two-way recording mode while the answering tape or the recording tape is in operation.

Claim 7

An automatic answering and recording device, according to claim 4, further comprises: (a) on-hook detection means operatively connected to then telephone set, for detecting the on-hook state of the telephone set; (b) two-way recording disabling means, operatively connected to said two-way recording means and responsive to said on-hook detection means for disabling said two-way recording tape means; and (c) reset means, operatively connected to said answering tape means and responsiveto said on-hook detection means, for automatically establishing a standby condition for automatically answering a next call.

Claim 8

An automatic answering and recording device according to claim 5 wherein: said on-hook detection means senses both an interruption of current and a reduction of current as the telephone set is placed in an on-hook state.

Claim 9

An automatic answering and recording device according to claim 4 further comprising: indication means, associated with said off-hook detection means, for delivering at predetermined intervals an indication that said two-way recording means is activated and recording a conversation between the parties.

Claim 10

An automatic answering and recording device according to claim 4, further comprising: (a) a loudspeaker device operatively connected to said transmission lines; and (b) loudspeaker means deenergizing means associated with said off-hook detection means and responsive to said off-hook detection means, for deenergizing said loudspeaker when the telephone set is in the off-hook state.

Claim 11

An automatic answering and recording device for use with telephone transmission lines and a telephone set, having an off-hook and an on-hook state, comprising: (a) transmission line terminals adapted for connection with the transmission lines; (b) calling signal detection means for detecting a calling signal at the transmission line; (c) answering tape means responsive to said signal detection means and operatively connected to the transmission lines, for delivering an answering message when a calling signal is detected and for providing an automatic answering mode; (d) recording tape means operatively connected to said transmission lines after the answering message has been delivered; (e) off-hook detection means, operatively connected to the telephone set, for detecting the off-hook state of the telephone set; (f) two-way recording means operatively connected to the transmission lines, the telephone set and the recording tape means for automatically establishing a two-way recording mode in response to said off-hook detection means when the answering tape or the recording tape is in operation; (g) on-hook detection means, operatively connected to the telephone set, for detecting the on-hook state of the telephone set; (h) two-way recording disabling means operatively connected to said two-way recording means and responsive to said on-hook detection means for stopping said recording tape means; (i) reset means, operativelyconnected to said answering tape means, and responsive to said on-hook detection means, for automatically establishing a standby condition for automatically answering a next call; and, (j) automatic answering disabling means, operatively connected to said answering tape means and responsive to said off-hook detection means for disabling the automatic answering mode.

Claim 12

An automatic answering and recording device for use with telephone transmission lines and a telephone set, having an off-hook and an on-hook state, comprising: (a) transmission line terminals adapted for connection with the transmission lines; (b) calling signal detection means for detecting a calling signal at the transmission line; (c) answering tape means responsive to said signal detection means and operatively connected to the transmission lines, for delivering an answering message when a calling signal is detected and for providing an automatic answering mode; (d) recording tape means operatively connected to said transmission lines after the answering message has been delivered; (e) off-hook detection means, operatively connected to the telephone set, for detecting the off-hook state of the telephone set; (f) two-way recording means operatively connected to the transmission lines, the telephone set and the recording tape means for automatically establishing a two-way recording mode in response to said off-hook detection means when the answering tape or the recording tape is in operation; (g) on-hook detection means, operatively connected to the telephone set, for detecting the on-hook state of the telephone set; (h) two-way recording disabling means operatively connected to said two-way recording means and responsive to said on-hook detection means for stopping said recording tape means; (i) reset means, operativelyconnected to said answering tape means, and responsive to said on-hook detection means, for automatically establishing a standby condition for automatically answering a next call; and, (j) automatic answering disabling means, operatively connected to said answering tape means and responsive to said off-hook detection means for disabling the automatic answering mode.